Golden's Best Burgers

Image courtesy Pixabay

As the summer winds down, you're probably getting in as much outdoor grilling time as you can. Chances are that when you think of the best food to have on the grill that a good old-fashioned hamburger comes to mind. If this is true, you will definitely want to fire up the grill tonight in honor of National Burger Day! If you're pressed for time or aren't much of a cook, fear not - there are many restaurants located in Golden that make an amazing burger! These are some of our favorite restaurants to order a burger:

Bob's Atomic Burgers

Bob's Atomic Burgers is probably our favorite place to go for a burger in the area. In fact, Bob's hamburger was recently featured on Denver Westword as #24 in its list of Top 100 Favorite Dishes! So what makes their burgers so delicious? They're just plain good! You can get some extra fixings for free, although they charge for others, but regardless of how you design your burger, it will be amazing! They even offer quinoa burgers for any vegetarians out there! Bob's Atomic Burgers is just 10 minutes away from Outlook Golden Ridge!

Woody's Woodfired Pizza & Watering Hole

Woody's may not have an official website, but maybe they don't need one because the food is just that good! This sports bar is a great atmosphere for watching the game and enjoying good food and beer. If you don't believe us, just take a peek at the restaurant's Yelp reviews!

Urban Backyard

Urban Backyard is another great location for watching the big game! If there isn't a sports event, you will definitely want to sit outdoors or go for happy hour!

Bridgewater Grill

Located inside The Golden Hotel is Bridgewater Grill, which offers more of an upscale dining experience. Choose from locally raised cow, bison, chicken or garden burgers and add a variety of classic toppings like bacon and bleu cheese. The restaurant often hosts live musicians to set the mood, too.

These are only several of Golden's best hamburger venues! If you are willing to take a road trip for an amazing burger, check out Thrillist's list of best burgers in Colorado! Do you have a burger recommendation? Share it with us on Outlook Golden Ridge's Facebook and Twitter pages!

National Golf Month in Golden

Image courtesy Pixabay

While the month of August signifies many things, including the return of Colorado School of Mines students and the end of summer, one thing you may not have realized about August is that it also celebrates a sport that many consider a relaxing past time - golf! Grab your clubs and play a round at one of these local golf courses while the extra moments of daylight last!

Fossil Trace Golf Club
Since opening in July 2003, Fossil Trace Golf Club has been the subject of many accolades from the golfing community, including Golf Digest's list of "Top 50 Golf Courses in America for Women" and "Top of the Town: Best Golf Course" by 5280 Magazine. The club offers adult clinics, women's only clinics, club fittings and junior camps. As for the name, Fossil Trace, there are actually triceratops footprint fossils that can be seen next to the course's 12th hole! The course also has an exhibit, located inside the clubhouse, which details the course's prehistoric history. Tee times at the course may be booked online. Fossil Trace Golf Club is just a quick 5-minute drive away from your home at Outlook Golden Ridge!

The Club at Rolling Hills
Members at The Club at Rolling Hills may enjoy an 18-hole championship course designed by J. Press Maxwell. In addition to the course, the club also houses a driving range, and putting and chipping green. The club's full service pro-shop includes club cleaning, rental, repair and storage, and members with less experience may take advantage of its group or individual instruction programs. The Club at Rolling Hills is approximately 15-minutes away from Outlook Golden Ridge.

Applewood Golf Course
Also located 15-minutes away, and designed by J. Press Maxwell, is Applewood Golf Course. This par-71 course is known for being "chemical free," in addition to being a challenge for golfers of all levels. The course itself feature hills, wildlife and water hazards. Junior and adult lessons, and yearly memberships are also offered at Applewood. Guests may book a tee time online.

Whether you consider yourself a pro or have never swung a golf club in your life, if you want to brush up on your skills or discover new ones, the venues described above are just a few places in Golden to get started and to celebrate National Golf Month!

Gear up for Golden Fine Arts Fest

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Usually by Thursdays we are quite ready for the weekend, but we are especially excited for the forthcoming weekend, as it will be time for one of our favorite city events - the Golden Fine Arts Festival! This weekend marks the festival's 25th year in Golden! Be sure to leave some free space on your calendars to attend the festival on Saturday, Sunday or both days!

The Golden Fine Arts Festival is held annually in historic downtown Golden. More than 140 artists, craftsmen and vendors will be present, in addition to musical entertainers, food vendors and a children's art area, rides, demonstrations and more! The festival will be adjacent to Clear Creek and is set up to be an open-air event. The festival also functions as a juried show, with more than $1,800 in prizes to award to artists in nine categories: 2D, Ceramics, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography and Sculpture.

It is estimated that 35,000 visitors will attend the festival throughout the weekend - will you be among them? Here are some details to fill you in on. Admission to the festival is free! How wonderful is that? Also free parking will be available throughout downtown Golden, including the 3-story garage. You will need to have some money on your person if you plan to purchase food and beverages from the vendors, which include wine and beer. The festival will run along 11th Street, between Arapahoe and Maple. Finally, festival hours are from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

According to the forecasts, Saturday looks like the day to be at the festival - with a high of 91 and mostly sunny skies. On Sunday, scattered thunderstorms are currently predicted. If you do go on Sunday, make sure to take your umbrella. One good thing if you attend on Sunday - the festival location is only a 10-minute drive away from Outlook Golden Ridge in case the weather takes a rainy turn!

This weekend's events are a wonderful way to get to know the Golden community, purchase some artwork for your future apartment home at Outlook Golden Ridge, and enjoy local food and entertainment!

Additional sources consulted:
Colorado.com
Colorado Artist Tour

Get to Know Golden: CO School of Mines

"School of Mines" by Luke Jones is licensed under CC BY 2.0

If you are currently considering moving to the Golden area, which we hope you are, we hope to introduce you to some of the city of Golden's area institutions and attractions. Since the month of August has now arrived, many more faces will soon be seen around town. Students of the Colorado School of Mines will soon be arriving back on campus and in-town for the beginning of the Fall 2015 semester!

The Colorado School of Mines was founded in 1874 and concentrates on earth sciences. More specifically, the curriculum at Mines is focused on the use of engineering and applied science to promote responsible use of the earth's resources. The most popular majors on campus include Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services. Approximately 4,300 undergraduate students attend Mines each academic year. 

Last month, The Department of Energy announced that it would be contributing up to $9 million in funding to Mines to research algae-based biofuels. Currently Mines ranks #38 in U.S. News & World Report's rankings of top public schools, and #88 on the list of the best national universities.

The majority of the Mines campus is located in Downtown Golden, extending from 11th Avenue to 19th Avenue. From the apartment homes at Outlook Golden Ridge, the commute to the Mines campus is only about 5 minutes by car, depending on which area of campus is your final destination. Perhaps some of our future residents will be Mines upperclassmen! 

If you want to explore the campus before the majority of students return for the start of classes on August 25, it is a beautiful campus for a walk! Stroll through Kafadar Commons or visit the Geology Museum. The museum is home to one of Colorado's two moon rocks from the Apollo 17 space mission, and also houses fossils, gemstones, minerals and historic mining artifacts. You can visit the museum Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Geology Museum is free, so head over and check it out!